1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to wheeled skates, and more particularly to a roller skate having a chassis or frame formed of a length of rectangular channel. The four relatively large diameter wheels extend from the upper walls of the channel, thereby placing the floor or sole plate of the frame very close to the underlying surface for optimum stability.
2. Description of Related Arts
The basic concept of the roller skate, with relatively small diameter wheels disposed beneath a sole plate for attachment to or carrying a shoe thereon, has been known for some time. While this basic configuration has been popular for recreation, sports, and even limited transportation, it has its deficiencies. The greatest deficiency of this conventional type of skate is the relatively high center of gravity and narrow wheel track provided by placing the wheels directly beneath the sole plate of the skate, emulating the earlier developed ice skate with its narrow blade and shoe structure atop the blade.
Accordingly, a number of variations on the conventional roller skate have been developed over the years, with many of these variations having the wheels extending to the sides of the skate body rather than beneath the body or sole plate. The primary reason for this construction by earlier patentees, was to provide relatively large diameter wheels for operation on relatively rough and unimproved surfaces, as was the norm until relatively recent times. As such, those earlier skates were constructed with various wheel configurations, but no such large wheeled earlier skates utilized a four wheel configuration, with the wheels deployed in a rectangular array at the corners of the skate body for stability. Rather, those earlier large wheeled skates teach away from the concept of stability, by providing three wheeled configurations, and/or wheels having different diameters from one another, etc., for various purposes.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a roller skate formed of a relatively short, sturdy length of channel, having a width sufficiently wide for the skater to place his or her shoe therein. The upstanding side walls of the channel provide for the attachment of axle extending therefrom, for the placement of a wheel adjacent each corner of the generally rectangular channel section. The walls are sufficiently high to allow installation of relatively large diameter wheels, while still placing the floor of the channel relatively close to the underlying surface. Means are also provided for vertical and lateral adjustment of the wheels on the skate body.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 96,117 issued on Oct. 26, 1869 to N. W. Hubbard, titled xe2x80x9cParlor Skate,xe2x80x9d describes a wheeled skate having a sole plate with three arms extending laterally upwardly therefrom. Each arm has an axle at its upper end, with a large diameter wheel mounted thereon. The result places the sole plate relatively close to the underlying surface. However, Hubbard provides only one wheel on the inboard side, with the opposite two wheels not being in alignment with one another due to their overlapping diameters. The point of the Hubbard skate is clearly operation over rough surfaces, as indicated in column 2, lines 9-13 of the disclosure. The result is neither as sturdy nor as stable as the present skate.
U.S. Pat. No. 233,845 issued on Nov. 2, 1880 to Washington P. Gregg, titled xe2x80x9cRoller Skate,xe2x80x9d describes a skate with a rhomboid wheel pattern, with smaller diameter wheels placed beneath the forward and aft ends of the sole plate or frame and two different diameters of larger wheels extending to the sides of the frame. The larger wheels of the Gregg skate provide more even movement over rough and uneven surfaces, while the smaller wheels provide additional support. However, the smaller wheels disposed beneath the frame or sole, still result in a considerably higher sole plate than that of the present skate. Moreover, the rhomboid wheel pattern does not provide the stability of the present skate, with one wheel disposed generally at each corner of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 266,978 issued on Nov. 7, 1882 to Norman W. Darrow, titled xe2x80x9cWheel Skate,xe2x80x9d describes a two wheeled skate, with the two wheels generally disposed diagonally to one another. The sole plate or frame is suspended between the wheels to move vertically as the skater removes and applies his or her weight to the skate. A system of gears, chains, and ratchets is provided between each wheel and the frame, for driving the wheels in a forward direction as weight is applied to the frame by the skater and the frame is driven downwardly; the arrangement ratchets to allow the wheels to rotate freely upon upward movement of the frame. The Darrow skate is more closely related to an operator propelled machine than to a skate, and in any event, the lack of wheels at each corner of the frame and the vertically movable frame relative to the wheels, both teach away frame the present skate.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,751,942 issued on Mar. 25, 1930 to Robert Nanz, titled xe2x80x9cRoller Skate,xe2x80x9d describes a two wheeled skate having the wheels disposed generally diagonally from one another on opposite sides of the skate. Each wheel is secured to the upper end of an arm which extends laterally upwardly from the base platform or sole plate of the skate, somewhat in the manner of the skate of the Hubbard ""117 U.S. Patent discussed further above. The use of separate arms for attaching the wheels and provision of only a single wheel on each side and the lack of stability provided thereby, result in a skate configuration considerably different from that of the present roller skate invention and having considerably less stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,399 issued on Nov. 4, 1969 to Lawrence A. Finn, titled xe2x80x9cSkates,xe2x80x9d describes two different embodiments of a two wheeled skate, with the wheels disposed laterally oppositely to one another. The second embodiment has relatively large diameter wheels installed on vertically offset axle stubs, with the center of the axle bent downwardly to pass beneath the relatively short (fore and aft) sole plate. Separate instep and heel straps are provided, but the Finn skate is rendered relatively more complex by having two separate attachment points on each side of the skate. The provision of only two wheels clearly fails to provide the stability provided by the present skate, with its four wheels disposed generally at the corners of a channel structure having a rectangular platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,708 issued on Nov. 24, 1992 to Chan I-Chuan, titled xe2x80x9cDouble-Foot Plate Pedaling Skate,xe2x80x9d describes an operator propelled device comprising essentially two jointed skates with two sole plates and six wheels. Two wheels are installed between the two plates, with the two plates eccentrically linked together by the two center wheels. The other four wheels are attached to the outboard edges of the two plates on eccentrics similar to the center eccentrics, with each plate being level but 180 degrees opposed to the other relative to wheel rotation, due to the eccentric connection. The operator pumps the two plates upwardly and downwardly to produce rotary motion due to the eccentric action. The relative motion of the two sole plates is unlike the relatively constant level plates of the present skate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,763 issued on May 23, 2000 to Raymond L. Adams Jr., titled xe2x80x9cRoller Bouncer And Wave Board Skate,xe2x80x9d describes a skate having a somewhat conventional wheel configuration, with four relatively small diameter wheels disposed beneath a lower plate. However, an upper shoe attachment plate is disposed above the lower wheel attachment plate, with a series of springs installed therebetween. While the Adams, Jr. skate may provide an interesting recreational ride, the height of the device with its closely adjacent lower wheels and springs separating the wheel platform from the shoe support platform, result in a relatively unstable device in comparison to the present roller skate.
British Patent Publication No. 221,445 accepted on Sep. 11, 1924, titled xe2x80x9cImprovements In And Connected With Wheeled Skates,xe2x80x9d describes a three wheeled skate having two relatively large laterally disposed wheels at the front and a single large diameter wheel laterally offset to the rear. As the only drawings illustrating the wheels with the skate body are plan view, it is not possible to determine the relative height of the wheel axles relative to the skate body or sole plate. However, it would appear that no effort has been made in the British Patent Publication to provide a relatively low sole plate. The combination of a relatively high sole plate or skate body or frame, with the tricycle configuration, results in considerably less stability than provided by the present roller skate invention.
British Patent Publication No. 403,250 accepted on Dec. 21, 1933, titled xe2x80x9cImprovements In Roller Skates,xe2x80x9d describes several embodiment of three and four wheeled skates. Each of the four wheeled embodiments positions the wheel axles either below or coplanar with the sole plate or frame of the skates, rather than above the plate as in the present invention. While the ""250 British Patent Publication does disclose embodiments with some of the wheel axles above the sole plate, these are all three wheeled skates with a single relatively small diameter rear wheel extending rearwardly from the sole plate or frame. The lack of stability provided by a tricycle configuration has been noted further above.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 1,318,039 published on May 23, 1973, titled xe2x80x9cRoller Skates,xe2x80x9d describes a skate having a relatively conventional configuration, with four relatively small diameter wheels disposed directly beneath the front and rear portions of the sole plate or frame. The primary distinction of the skate of the ""039 British Patent Publication appears to be the forming of a relatively thick support structure integrally with the sole plate, and the use of rubber or plastic material for the support structure and sole plate. The lack of stability of the relatively narrow wheel configuration of the skate of the ""039 British Patent Publication, has been noted further above.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention comprises a roller skate having various novel features providing increased stability and safety over earlier developed skates of the related art. The present skate is formed essentially of a relatively short length of a sturdy, generally rectangular channel having opposed upstanding side walls and a sole plate or floor extending therebetween. A non-skid coating or sheet is disposed upon the sole plate to provide good grip for the shoe sole of the skater. A relatively large diameter wheel is placed at each end of each side wall to form a rectangular wheel array, with the wheels extending beyond the side walls and ends of the frame for optimum stability. Instep and heel straps extend from attachment points generally medially placed along the upper edge of each side wall.
The relatively deep side walls, in combination with the large diameter wheels, place the sole plate of the frame immediately adjacent the underlying surface when the wheels are resting upon the underlying surface. This provides even further stability for the present skate. The wheels may be adjustably secured to the frame side walls if desired, by providing a series of axle attachment holes at varying heights through the side walls at each wheel location. Adjustment of the lateral spacing of the wheels may be provided by installing sleeves, spacer nuts, etc. on each wheel axis between the wheels and the frame side walls, as desired. This allows the skater to place the wheels even further outwardly from the side walls, for even greater stability if so desired.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a roller skate having greater stability than wheeled skates of the related art.
It is another object of the invention to provide a roller skate having four widely spaced large diameter wheels disposed at the corners of the skate frame in a rectangular array, to provide a stable skate platform.
It is a further object of the invention to form the skate frame of a short, sturdy length of channel having a floor or sole plate with opposed upstanding walls, with the wheels extending outwardly from the walls so the sole plate is positioned immediately adjacent the underlying surface for greater stability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a roller skate which comprises a brake device for reducing a speed of the roller skate, wherein the roller skate does not require to alter the original structural design in order to incorporate with the brake device, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the roller skate.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a roller skate including means for adjusting the wheels both vertically and laterally relative to the skate frame.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangement thereof in an apparatus for the purpose described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a roller skate, wherein no expensive or mechanical structure is required to employ in the present invention in order to achieve the above mentioned objects. Therefore, the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution for providing substantial supporting configuration to the skater supported on the roller skate.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.